


April 19th cont.

by Ukulelelovinggal



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:28:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27466438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ukulelelovinggal/pseuds/Ukulelelovinggal
Summary: Chores are done and lessons learned.
Relationships: Carol Aird/Therese Belivet
Comments: 16
Kudos: 27





	April 19th cont.

**Author's Note:**

> The deck at sunset continues to provide ideas so here’s my latest offering. Reading my previous works will help with the flow but isn’t required.

“Therese, I’m so impressed with your laundry skills. My training for the domestic life focused on entertaining and standing by your man. I learned by watching my mother and her friends that there was going be a lot of ‘standing’ going on. Ugh.”

“Oh, all the children at Our Lady of Perpetual Disappointment had chores. It was a good way to learn and help out.”

“Therese, what did you just say?”

Therese looked at Carol quizzically and started to repeat herself.

“No, I mean about the name of the home.”

Therese gave Carol a quirky smile. “Oh, I meant St. Mary’s Home of the Last Dumping Ground for Children Nobody Wants.”

Carol was apoplectic. She huffed and tutted for a moment.

“Carol, all the kids went through stages of crying and being sad when they first got there.Then they were mad and acted out for a while. Finally, they settled in and that’s when the macabre humor started. It was a way to say things that would keep the other stuff at bay.”

Carol stared at Therese for a moment and then returned to folding clothes. “And you went through all those feelings?”

“Yes, but I didn’t act out like the others. I kept it to myself.”

Carol turned to put a load of wet clothes from the washer into the dryer. Using the distraction and the fact the Therese couldn’t see her face to give herself some time let that sink in.Carol felt herself suddenly scrambling inside to keep up with a flood of feelings. “ _What do I think I’m doing with this girl ? I know I love her whether it makes sense or not but I don’t really know her._ _What are the depths of her pain and what does she do with that? There’s bound to be so much more I don’t know and how will I deal with all of that?”_ Carol could feel the runaway train taking her away _from Therese and_ the cocoon they had created this weekend. She felt her usual walls recreating themselves so she could “handle” things without anyone knowing what was going on inside.The problem with that one way ticket to sad isolation was that Carol forgot what she did know about Therese.She forgot how Therese’s love for her was more than exciting passion and fireworks. More than trembling touches and caught breaths when the other came into view. More than not tolerating being apart.Therese had joined Carol’s being. Therese saw the twitch of the eyebrow, the rising to full stature, the shifting weather patterns in her eyes, the passing clouds on her face, and so many more subtle messages that told Therese what level of security clearance she needed.Therese saw what few other people did and even those who did didn’t decipher the coded messages. 

Therese felt the barometric pressure change. Puzzled, she looked at Carol and saw her face closed for business. She reached over and gently stroked Carol’s shoulder.

“Carol?”

“Mmmm?”

“Carol, what is it?”

“What’s what, darling?” Carol said with a slightly forced smile.

Therese expanded her strokes to include all of Carol’s back.“Where have you gone, love?”

“I haven’t gone...”.Carol tried to not look at Therese but that escape plan was foiled when Therese shifted and gently laid her head on Carol’s shoulder.It was a simple gesture but Carol felt the tender vulnerable pursuit of her heart by Therese. Tears filled Carol’s eyes as she thought “ _my god, how could it be that I have been gifted with this precious treasure”._

“I..um...just kind of got scared all of a sudden.”

Therese continued to stroke Carol’s back and just hummed an encouragement to keep going.

“I don’t know why but hearing about something so important in your life and me not knowing anything about it or it’s impact on you suddenly made me feel lost. Like I didn’t know what to do with that. I know I’m older than you and have been married, but Therese, I’m as new to this kind of being with someone as you are.”

Therese lifted her head and faced Carol beaming as if lit from inside.

“That’s right.I’d never really thought of that. Oh Carol, don’t you see? We’re both the same. You’re not the older woman with all the experience and I’m not the babe in the woods needing all sorts of direction. We’re together.It’s just us learning how to do this like everyone else.” 

Carol’s heart melted and her fears disappeared in the warmth of Therese’s sun.She wrapped herself around Theresewhile they both laughed the laughter of freed and loving hearts.


End file.
